2G Battery/Brake lights on

[sinned4g63]

This morning starting my car to go to work noticed my battery and brake light would flicker, sometimes the lights would fade on and flicker off then come back a few minutes later blinking on and off with no specific pattern. I made sure the parking brake was all the way down and checked the fluid which was full. About half way to work the lights came on and stayed. They seemed dim compared to normal and the applying the parking brake simply made the brake light brighter. Getting ready to leave work I tested the battery between 14.5 and 15v, at idle the battery still had around 15v going back to it and under a load at 3500rpms jumped up to only 15.09v. Also worth mentioning I just recently had all the belts done probably a month or so ago but they all still seem tight. Fuses all good too.. Going to test it again when I get home once its warmed up to see if there's a difference. Anyone have any other ideas what to check?

 

[sinned4g63]

Just got home which takes me about 15-20 minutes, drove with the lights on, radio on, fans on without AC, and left the car parked and running while I grabbed my multimeter from inside. Battery tested between 13.89-13.93v but I couldn't rev it up by myself.

 

[dustyboner]

might wanna check the switch on the ebrake. I'll post up the wiring for the battery and brake warning lights here in a little while.

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[dustyboner]

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[motomattx]

Thats usually an indication of an alternator failing.

 

[sinned4g63]

Thats usually an indication of an alternator failing.

That's pretty much what I've been seeing everywhere but having good voltage made me unsure.

 

[sinned4g63]

might wanna check the switch on the ebrake. I'll post up the wiring for the battery and brake warning lights here in a little while.

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Think maybe something is loose there?

 

[AllanL]

battery volts OK but trouble lights ON...
still OK for now, but slowly draining the battery.
you'll never know when the alternator will really 'die'.

had the alternator rebuilt...IC or diode was dead...

 

[AWD-Tony]

Yup sounds like an alternator but then again I drove 2 hours on a little over 10volt output without the light coming on. Found out the next day when car wouldn't start and took a look at the log from that drive.

 

[sinned4g63]

I mean it's the original 22 year old alternator.. It wouldn't surprise me one bit just that the voltage reading had me thrown off. I'll simply take it as an opportunity to upgrade with maybe a 3g or galant alternator. Rolling my windows up and down has always dimmed my gauges while holding the button so it's always been something I wanted to do with the intention of more electronic mods.

 

[motomattx]

Yup sounds like an alternator but then again I drove 2 hours on a little over 10volt output without the light coming on. Found out the next day when car wouldn't start and took a look at the log from that drive.

Depending on what part in the alternator fails, the light might not come on, say if the regulator has a catastrophic failure or the windings on the alternator go completely open, probably no light even though a failed alternator.

 

[sinned4g63]

Depending on what part in the alternator fails, the light might not come on, say if the regulator has a catastrophic failure or the windings on the alternator go completely open, probably no light even though a failed alternator.

Ah so whatever failed in mine was something that obviously activated the light as it was failing hence the light show that is now solid. I feel silly saying it but I always thought the battery light was just to tell you your key/battery was on without the engine/charging system running. Learn something new every day..

 

[AWD-Tony]

You can bring your alternator to advanced or autozone, and they'll test it for you on the spot.

 

[TerminalTalon]

Please do not buy a bullshit alternator. Find a Denso online. These rebuilt ones I see do not last and being near a major heat source (O2 housing) they do not last with normal driving.

 

[sinned4g63]

Please do not buy a bullshit alternator. Find a Denso online. These rebuilt ones I see do not last and being near a major heat source (O2 housing) they do not last with normal driving.

I try to skimp as little as possible on these cars, there aren't enough left to throw junk onto and chance ruining something. Just not worth it.

 

[sinned4g63]

I'm trying to get an alternator on order but just want to clarify. RockAuto has one from ACDelco for about $100 that looks to match everything from the OEM 2g Eclipse one. Can someone confirm this should work? Call me paranoid to get the wrong one, just don't want to go through that.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinf...gA54N0oigecQZO3G20LCVM4uMfPLIPp/g/eYrw8uuBg==
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinf...gA54N0oigecQZO3G20LCVM4uMfPLIPp/g/eYrw8uuBg==

 

[TerminalTalon]

That should work. I just don’t understand why rock auto doesn’t offer Denso units when I can find one for the 1G. Weird.

 

[sinned4g63]

That should work. I just don’t understand why rock auto doesn’t offer Denso units when I can find one for the 1G. Weird.

Yeah that looked like the best option. Thanks for clarifying, I'll order it tonight!

Edit: I mainly used those because they had a nice layout of the specs. I usually like Denso too but never heard anything bad about ACDelco either.

 

[sinned4g63]

That should work. I just don’t understand why rock auto doesn’t offer Denso units when I can find one for the 1G. Weird.

I did find a Denso one, about $230 after shipping before the core charge which I won't get back..

 

[TerminalTalon]

It all depends on if you want to keep it and keep it reliable. That seems like a lot now but I’m the end it’s going to last longer then the rest.

 

[rEclipserGST]

You could just grab a 90 amp galant alternator from autozone. Last I checked they ran around $135. Still beating on mine and I daily drove my car for 5 years. Just recently got a daily.

 

[sinned4g63]

Got an alternator in on Sunday in the brutal heat, took about an hour and no more lights! Charging system holding firm at 14.3 instead of fluctuating between 15.2 and 12.5. Thanks everyone!

 

[TerminalTalon]

Good stuff

 

[sinned4g63]

Good stuff

Kicking myself.. driving the car for the past couple of days and the dash lights and headlights are pulsing around 3k to 4k. Checked the battery terminals this morning and they were a hair loose, hard to move but still.. tightened them up and drove it to work. When I put the parking brake on and rev it up in neutral I can see the brake light pulsing. I know I didn't get the Denso one but does that sound normal to go up that quick or maybe I got a faulty one? Going to check the connections on the alternator tomorrow morning when everything is cold and the voltage from the battery on the drive home tonight with a volt reader attached to a tender lead.

 

[sinned4g63]

Attached the volt reader to the tender lead and went out for lunch, I did notice the voltage still fluctuating a bit at idle and low RPMs based on what I'm using in the car (ac, radio, wipers, etc). When reving he car up and holding around 3k-3.5k the voltage seems pretty steady around 14.3.. The only thing I haven't checked is the ground to the alternator itself but everything else is good and tight. Did it get toasted that quick being a daily? Would a larger gauge ground help at all?